Iraq: Clashes, attacks kill at least 31 people

BAGHDAD (AP) — Clashes between Iraqi government forces and militants along with attacks in the capital Baghdad killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens on Wednesday, officials said.

Heavy clashes erupted in three areas outside the city of Tikrit, which is controlled by the Islamic State extremist group, killing 12 security forces, Shiite militiamen and civilians, and wounding 37 others, a police official said. He added that three suicide truck bombers attacked security forces during the fighting.

Militants claimed responsibility for three suicide attacks in a statement posted on a Twitter account frequently used by the extremist group. It said the attacks were carried out by French, Syrian and Qatari fighters, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant forums.

The IS group controls around a third of both Iraq and neighboring Syria. It captured Tikrit, which is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Baghdad, during its sweep across northern and western Iraq last summer.

In another attack in the capital, a bomb blast killed at least two people and wounded eight. And at least seven people were killed and 17 wounded after a car bomb exploded in a town southwest of Baghdad.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

Also on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian armed forces, Lt. Gen. Mashal al-Zaben, met the Iraqi defense minister and reiterated Jordan's "support to Iraq in its war against the terrorist gangs," according to an official statement.

Jordan is part of the U.S.-led international coalition carrying out airstrikes against IS militants in Iraq and Syria.